10. incae business school case study - the role of csr in

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The Role of CSR in Improving Education in Northern Nicaragua:

CISA and PennGSE Collaborate in the Development of Semillas Digitales (Digital Seeds)

It was a chilly evening in mid-December at the Buenos Aires farm in Jinotega, Nicaragua. Duilio Baltodano, one of the owners of Finca Buenos Aires, looked back at the achievements of Semillas Digitales. The project had been running for only 17 months, but its influence was already being felt in Buenos Aires and the surrounding community. The Baltodano family, owner of the CISA Group, had over 150 years of coffee tradition and a long history of social responsibility in the communities surrounding the farms, mills and offices. The Baltodano family has a four generation relationship with Penn and Incae.

Semillas Digitales was a fairly recent project within CISA’s Corporate Social Responsibility Division. It was a partnership with Dr. Sharon Ravitch and her research team at The University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education (PennGSE) aimed at improving education in communities where CISA operated, more specifically, in the coffee-producing region of northern Nicaragua. The project was a community and school-based action research initiative that developed a model of educational innovation focused on digital literacy and technology integration, intensive professional development, pedagogical improvement, curricular alignment, and community development and involvement for under-resourced, rural community schools and the communities that surround them.

Until December of 2010, Semillas Digitales worked to create a framework in which technology was integrated into teaching, learning and curriculum at Buenos Aires. This was in part through the introduction and use of XO laptop computers (created by Nicholas Negroponte of the Media Lab at MIT) as a pedagogical and didactic tool in the school at the Buenos Aires farm. The project changed the way 3rd to 6th grade teachers taught through engaging them in intensive, ongoing, emergent design professional development. It also provided access to new knowledge through the Internet and a innovative way to attract and retain students. In 2011, Semillas Digitales was set for

This case was written by Arkángel Cordero, Dr. Sharon Ravitch, and Matthew Tarditi under the supervision of Professor Felipe Pérez as a basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either correct or incorrect handling of an administrative situation. INCAE Business School Research Center All rights reserved © 2011 by INCAE Business School. Reproduction without permission from INCAE Business School is prohibited. For more information contact [email protected]

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replication at one of the other 15 schools that CISA supported and in the 1st and 2nd grade at Buenos Aires. It was thought that the project would eventually reach all 16 schools supported by CISA. Nonetheless, before that could take place, it was necessary to define whether, and how, Semillas Digitales fit into CISA’s overall sustainability strategy and to validate the project´s replication methodology.

Nicaragua: poverty, agriculture and education

Nicaragua was an impoverished country located in the middle of the Central American region1 (Exhibit 1). The country had 5.99 million inhabitants, most of which (62.9%) were between 15 and 64 years old2. 43% of the population lived in rural areas3.

In spite of having the largest endowment of agricultural land in the region, Nicaragua had the lowest GDP in Central America, both in absolute terms and per capita (Exhibit 2). The country also had the largest percentage of people living with US$ 2 or less a day, the highest external debt to GNI ratio, and, by far, the lowest exports in the region.

The country´s main exports were agricultural products. Agriculture employed 362,000 people, or 29% of the country´s active workforce, and accounted for 19% of GDP. The country had the third largest share of rural population and rural population growth rate in the region.

One of Nicaragua´s main challenges to increase agricultural productivity was the lack of access to education. The country had the second lowest literacy rates in the region, as well as the second highest number of children excluded from primary school (Exhibit 3). Another important challenge faced by the country´s productive infrastructure was the relative poor access to telecommunication technology. Nicaragua lagged behind its neighbors in all telecom indicators (Exhibit 4).

Poverty was unevenly distributed between the urban and rural setting in Nicaragua. Using the national definition for rural communities (less than 1,000 inhabitants) and data from the 2005 National Census, researchers calculated that 45% of the country´s population lived in rural areas. Nevertheless, the same researchers estimated that using a different definition for rural community (<20,000 inhabitants), up to 60.4% of Nicaragua´s population was rural4. Nicaragua had three distinct regions in regards to poverty: the Pacific, Central and Caribbean regions. The largest urban centers were located in the Pacific region. This region was the first to be settled, and it consisted of relatively flat lands along the Pacific Ocean. In this region poverty and extreme poverty

1 Economist Intelligence Unit. (2008). Country Profile: Nicaragua. 2 CIA World Fact Book (2011). https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nu.html 3 CIA World Fact Book (2011). https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nu.html 4 Baumeister E., & Rocha J. (2009). Crisis y pobreza rural en Nicaragua. Latin American Center for Rural Development (Rimisp). http://www.rimisp.org/FCKeditor/UserFiles/File/documentos/docs/pdf/DTR/crisis/Crisis-pobreza-rural-Nicaragua-policy-briefs-DTR.pdf

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reached 62% and 21%, respectively5. The Central region was formed by the highlands in the north and center, where poverty and extreme poverty climbed to 77% and 37%, respectively6. Nicaragua´s Caribbean region was sparsely settled, as compared with the rest of the country. The region´s poverty and extreme poverty rates were 77% and 43%, respectively7. Nicaragua had some of the highest rates of school-aged children out of school in the Americas. Like poverty, educational coverage was unevenly distributed. The provinces in the Northern, Central and Caribbean regions had less schools, teachers and overall resources. Further complicating the situation in the countryside were higher school desertion and repetition rates.

Nicaragua´s export-quality coffee was mainly produced in the northern and central highlands. The departments (provinces) of Jinotega, Matagalpa and Boaco were important producers. The provinces of Nueva Segovia, Madriz and Estelí also produced high quality coffee. The pacific region (Carazo, Managua and Granada) had originally been the main coffee producing zone, but it had lost its importance for the crop due to low productivities linked to climate changes.8 CISA´s two main coffee producing farms were located in Jinotega and Matagalpa, in the northern region. These two provinces had the nation´s best agro-ecological conditions for growing coffee9.

Coffee Industry

World coffee production grew 18.7% from 2000 to 2009 (Exhibit 5). The main Latin American producers and exporters were Brazil and Colombia (Exhibit 6 and Exhibit 7). Russia and Canada were the world´s main coffee importers (Exhibit 8) and the United States and Germany were the largest overall consumers (Exhibit 9). In general, coffee retail prices increased between 2000 and 2006 (Exhibit 10).

5 Baumeister E., & Rocha J. (2009). Crisis y pobreza rural en Nicaragua. Latin American Center for Rural Development (Rimisp). http://www.rimisp.org/FCKeditor/UserFiles/File/documentos/docs/pdf/DTR/crisis/Crisis-pobreza-rural-Nicaragua-policy-briefs-DTR.pdf 6 Baumeister E., & Rocha J. (2009). Crisis y pobreza rural en Nicaragua. Latin American Center for Rural Development (Rimisp). http://www.rimisp.org/FCKeditor/UserFiles/File/documentos/docs/pdf/DTR/crisis/Crisis-pobreza-rural-Nicaragua-policy-briefs-DTR.pdf 7 Baumeister E., & Rocha J. (2009). Crisis y pobreza rural en Nicaragua. Latin American Center for Rural Development (Rimisp). http://www.rimisp.org/FCKeditor/UserFiles/File/documentos/docs/pdf/DTR/crisis/Crisis-pobreza-rural-Nicaragua-policy-briefs-DTR.pdf 8 El Café de Nicaragua, una exaltación de calidad. Forum Café.http://www.forum-cafe.com/documents/264.pdf

9 Cadena Agroindustrial del Café en Nicaragua. Retrieved from the website of Ministerio Agropecuario y Forestal (MAGFOR) Nicaragua on February 25, 2011. http://cedoc.magfor.gob.ni/documentos/cedoc/E21-0157.pdf

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Traditionally, small coffee producers around the world sold their product to intermediaries, who processed the coffee and resold it to the big international marketers. There were around 300 large marketers in the United States and Europe. These marketers controlled the bulk of world coffee trade and resold the product to the five main toasters: Kraft Foods, Nestle, Procter & Gamble, Sara Lee and Tchibo10. Exhibit 11 depicts the coffee value chain.

CISA Exportadora

Comercial Internacional S.A. (CISA Exportadora) belonged to the Baltodano family, Nicaraguans with over 150 years of coffee tradition. CISA Exportadora was founded in 1952 by Duilio Baltodano Pallais. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, CISA became the leading Nicaraguan exporter of green coffee. CISA´s operations in Nicaragua declined during the 1980s when the country´s coffee industry was nationalized. After the industry was liberalized in the early 1990s, CISA reestablished itself as the leading Nicaraguan seller of green coffee11.

In 2010, the firm specialized in exporting high quality coffee bought directly from Nicaraguan growers. The firm adhered to stringent quality criteria throughout the selection, milling and distribution processes. CISA´s special coffees were 100% handpicked, washed and sundried. This helped the firm´s coffee stay fresh and green for extended periods of time. The firm exploited its vast experience as a grower by providing technical assistance services to other growers. Apart from its technical expertise in buying and processing coffee, the firm was technologically savvy. CISA had modern and efficient machinery that helped ensure consistent, high quality products, cupping laboratories in all coffee mills, and an integrated computerized company-wide system to handle all transactions. This system enabled the firm to track and monitor every batch as it was processed. CISA Exportadora had 100 full-time employees, more than 100 buying agencies scattered throughout Nicaragua, and seven mills with a total milling capacity of 450,000 bags of 69 Kg12. Exhibit 12 shows CISA´s statements about mission, vision, values and quality.

In 2010, CISA Exportadora was the oldest firm, and founding member, of the Mercon Coffee Group, a network of firms and offices that included Mercon Coffee Corporation (New Jersey), Mercon Vietnam, Mercon UK, Mercon Guatemala, CIGRAH (Honduras) and Expogranos (Mexico). Apart from the firms involved in green coffee trading, the Baltodano Family Group had a diversified portfolio of affiliated firms involved in coffee and cattle production, coffee roasting, sale of agrochemical products and agricultural machinery, wholesale of third party consumer brands, currency exchange services, real

10 The information in this paragraph was taken from: Ketelhöhn, N., Montoni, I., & Casper, A. Café Jaguar. INCAE Business School Case #11317. INCAE Business School. 11 Our History. CISA Exportadora. http://www.cisaexp.com/history.htm 12 CISA Exportadora, About Us. http://www.cisaexp.com/about.htm

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estate development, and movie theaters13. Exhibit 13 lists and describes the affiliated companies. The group has a national coverage in the agriculture sector through its network of branch offices which could eventually facilitate the expansion of the Semillas Digitales project to rural areas in the Pacific region.

CISA Exportadora sold its coffee to important international firms. Coffee sold under certification helped the firm differentiate its product and access specialized market niches. CISA farms were certified by Coffee Practices, Utz, and Rainforest Alliance. Some customers, for example Starbucks, had their own certification program. These certification programs typically demanded compliance with social, environmental and product quality criteria. As a result of its compliance with the different certification criteria, CISA earned up to US$ 775 thousand in annual premiums above the overall market price14.

Products

CISA Exportadora offered two lines of coffees, conventional and differentiated. In conventional coffees CISA offered the following types:

S.H.G. Pola15: this coffee was grown in northern Nicaragua, more specifically in Nueva Segovia, Matagalpa and Jinotega. This Strictly High Grown (S.H.G.) coffee was cultivated at altitudes between 900-1,100 meters and temperatures between 20°C and 29°C. S.H.G. Pola had medium acidity and body.

Stocklot: The firm offered different types of stock-lots, depending on client specific demands.16 The type of coffee delivered to the customer was guaranteed to be the same type as the sample shown at the time of the contract.17

CISA also offered several differentiated coffees including the following:

H.B. Lapa Las Segovias18: this was shade coffee grown in the region called Las Segovias in the Dipilto mountains. The coffee was grown at an average altitude of 1,200 meters, temperatures between 15°C and 30°C and annual rain fall ranging from 900 to 1300 mm. After being handpicked, the coffee was sun dried and classified under strict quality standards. Lapa was a large, blue/green, fragrance rick bean. Lapa had medium to high acidity and sweet flavor. 13 Mercon Coffe Group. History of the Group. http://www.merconcoffeegroup.com/history.htm 14 Comunicación Corporativa. (May 20, 2011). Reconcimiento a Buenas Pràcticas Productivas y RSE. http://www.comunicacioncorporativa.net/newswire/?p=1843 15 Cisa Exportadora, Our Coffees. http://www.cisaexp.com/shg_pola.htm 16 Cigrah, Our Products. http://www.cigrah.com/stocklot.htm 17Green Coffee Association. Contract Terms and Conditions. http://www.green-coffee-assoc.org/images/finaldraft402.pdf 18 Cisa Exportadora, Our Coffees. http://www.cisaexp.com/shg_pola.htm

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S.H.G. Joya19: CISA considered Joya (Jewel) its most delicious and rare coffee. The coffee was grown in the northern Nicaraguan mountain ranges Dariense and Isabellia at an average height of 1,200 meters, temperatures between 16°C and 25°C, and rainfall between 1700 and 2200 mm. The beans were handpicked, sun dried and classified and selected by experts. The coffee had a pleasant scent, high acidity, a balanced body and a citric flavor.

S.H.G. Maragoype20: this coffee was grown in the highest peaks of the Isabellia, Dipilto and Dariense mountain ranges at heights between 1100-1500 meters, temperatures between 15°C -25°C, and rainfall from 1,700 to 2,200 mm. Maragoype received an European preparation that entailed meticulous handpicking, sun drying and selection. This coffee had full body, a strong and pleasant scent, and initial high acidity that faded into a sweet ending flavor.

Agricultural Resource Administration (ARA): this was Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software developed in-house by CISA. ARA consolidated a polished set of software developed by CISA over 20 years. CISA implemented the software in its agricultural operations, including its coffee producing farms. CISA had sold a few ARA licenses to other agricultural producers.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at CISA

CSR at the CISA group was coordinated from CISA Exportadora. The focus of the group’s CSR initiatives was on education, health and the environment. In 2008, the CISA group had created a framework to integrate its CSR actions into the group`s overall strategy. As part of this effort and with the help of a consultant, CISA developed a wide range of metrics (social, financial and environmental) to assess the impact of its CSR initiatives. Until December 2010, the framework and the metrics were still not implemented. Nonetheless, the group continued to focus on its traditional CSR action areas.

Education

Consistent with its socially responsible tradition, CISA began focusing on improving education in Nicaragua´s coffee producing region in 2001. This initiative came to be known as the Adopt a School Program and it was coordinated with the American Nicaraguan Foundation (ANF). In 2010, the program supported 16 schools, 180 teachers and 6,300 students in the coffee producing departments of Madriz, Nueva Segovia, Matagalpa and Jinotega. This initiative had several components. The program educated children and teachers about basic hygiene habits and ways to preserve the environment, donated books and school supplies, helped with improvements to school infrastructure, provided nutritional foods and beverages for children, as well as school follow up and counseling, and offered workshops for teachers and parents. CISA also conducted a motivational campaign aimed at improving student academic performance, 19 Cisa Exportadora, Our Coffees. http://www.cisaexp.com/shg_pola.htm 20 Cisa Exportadora, Our Coffees. http://www.cisaexp.com/shg_pola.htm

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attendance and retention. The firm actively sought alliances in order to help finance infrastructure and other projects relevant to particular schools. In 2010, the initiative reported positive outcomes in three indicators. In the adopted schools, students with passing grades reached 88% vs. the 77% national average, and retention rate was 92% vs. the 90% national average. CISA had also documented improvement in overall student health and school physical infrastructure. Beginning in 2009, CISA`s CSR involvement in education was significantly expanded by the inception of the Semillas Digitales project.

Health

CISA collaborated with Operación Sonrisa (Operation Smile). Operation Smile (OS) was a non-government organization (NGO) that performed surgery to correct cleft lips and palates in children throughout the world21. CISA recruited patients throughout the coffee growing regions in Nicaragua and provided transportation and other logistical support to patients. CISA also raised funds among its associates and donated medical equipment to the NGO.

CISA’s direct involvement in this initiative resulted in surgeries for over 400 children from coffee growing communities. Also, CISA´s equipment donation to one hospital in Managua and another in Matagalpa helped 2,000 other patients have surgery. The equipment donated by CISA had also helped save the lives of 40 children.

CISA regularly collaborated with the Italian NGO Nueva Oficina. This NGO had yearly medical mission trips to coffee growing regions. Nueva Oficina provided medical attention and medicines to over 2,000 patients per year. This initiative was coordinated with Operation Smile Nicaragua and the Nicaraguan Health Ministry (MINSA).

Environment

The environmental component of CISA´s CSR initiatives included environmental campaigns at schools. These campaigns promoted the preservation of natural resources. The firm also had a recycling program that collected paper, plastic and sacks. About 2,000 pounds of paper were donated to Nicaraguan NGO Los Pipitos (the NGO worked with disabled children). The plastic and sacks were sold back to suppliers.

CISA had several initiatives aimed at reducing CO2 emissions. The firm sold 30% of its coffee husk to the Nicaraguan factory of cement giant Cementos Mexicanos (CEMEX). CEMEX burnt the coffee husk as a partial substitute to burning bunker. CISA also collaborated with ADIC (a local NGO) to provide ecological kitchens to coffee producing communities in northern Nicaragua. The kitchens were fueled by coffee husks. The purpose of the project was twofold. On the one hand, the neighbors from the communities benefited from a fuel-efficient mechanism to cook, while also reducing their 21 Operation Smile Official Website. (2011). About us. http://www.operationsmile.org/about_us/who-we-are/

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CO2 emissions (kitchens that burnt coffee husks emitted less CO2 than kitchens that burnt firewood) and helping prevent deforestation. Lastly, CISA reduced its own CO2 emissions from burning coffee husks.

In its coffee mills, CISA used a significant part of its own coffee husks to dry coffee. This helped CISA reduce both its fuel costs and its CO2 emissions. The firm was also considering pelletizing its remaining coffee husks and selling it as biofuel.

A related project trained a group of 10 organized women to produce vegetal paper from coffee husks. The paper was resold to a local paper producing company. This project had won a contest on Inclusive Businesses (IBs) sponsored by the Unión Nicaragüense para la Responsabilidad Social Empresarial (UNIRSE) and Ded (German Development Service) in 2008. The project had both a focus on the environment, through the reduction of CO2 emissions, and on increasing gender equality. One goal was to help the women involved create and market artwork made from coffee husks.

Semillas Digitales

Origins

The project was initially conceived as an outgrowth of CISA´s sponsoring project to local schools, the Adopt-a-School Program. When the ARA software was implemented at the coffee-producing farm Buenos Aires, Duilio Baltodano realized that ARA´s infrastructure could easily accommodate a satellite connection for the farm’s school. Mr. Baltodano thought the school could be supplied with used computers from CISA that would connect to a server at the University of Pennsylvania in order to access software to help enhance mathematical skills in the students at the Buenos Aires school.

The school was located on the Buenos Aires farm and served the farmworkers' children as well as members of the surrounding communities. The farm was in the community of La Virgen Número Uno that had about 960 residents. La Virgen and other 7 rural communities were part of District No. 1 (7,537 inhabitants within and area of 67 square km) in the Department (province) of Jinotega in northern Nicaragua. Agriculture was the most important industry in the region, with coffee, corn and beans being the most widely produced.

In February 2009, Dr. Sharon Ravitch and graduate student Matthew Tarditi visited the farm to observe the school and discuss the nascent project. During the visit, Dr. Ravitch recognized the potential for a more integrated and community-based model, one that could deeply transform approaches to teaching and learning at the Buenos Aires school by cultivating teacher knowledge and skills in and beyond technology through the development and facilitation of emergent-design22 professional development for 22 Cavallo, D. 2000. “Emergent design and learning environments: Building on indigenous knowledge.” IBM Systems Journal, 39(3&4): 768-781.

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teachers. She envisioned a more far-reaching integration of technology into existing pedagogic and didactic methods. Furthermore, she conceived curricular enrichment and contextualization in order to build on local funds of knowledge23, i.e., local knowledge and expertise that could enhance the applicability of the educational material and increase the community´s awareness and involvement in their children’s school and educational lives more broadly. Furthermore, Dr. Ravitch sought to create a replicable model, i.e., one that could eventually be extended to all 16 of CISA sponsored schools. Baltodano loved Dr. Ravitch´s vision, and they formalized their collaboration with a hand-shake.

Project Description

Semillas Digitales was finally conceptualized by Dr. Ravitch and Mr. Tarditi as a community and school-based action research initiative that sought to develop – with community members and local educators – a sustainable, capacity-building model of educational innovation focused on digital literacy and technology integration, intensive professional development for teachers and school and community leaders, pedagogical improvement, curricular development and alignment, and community development and involvement. As action research, the approach developed and evaluated the emerging model simultaneously. The study of the initiative sought to document and examine the effects of the incorporation of a technology-based curriculum and intensive teacher professional development for students and teachers in selected community schools for the children of coffee farm workers in rural Nicaragua. A research team, comprised of faculty and graduate students from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education and CISA’s Corporate Social Responsibility educational specialists, developed, facilitated and studied the initiative for implementation and replication purposes. This process included evaluating the levels and types of impact – on students, teachers, supervisory staff, and community members – and the match between community contexts and the initiative. The applied research combined multiple methodologies, including: (1) ethnographic methods for gaining a deep understanding of community and school contexts, resources, perspectives, and needs; (2) a participatory action research approach to working with teachers and supervisors in the creation of a professional development program designed to improve their overall pedagogical approaches including familiarity and efficiency with technology and their understanding of its fit with their pedagogy, curriculum, and their students’ learning needs; and (3) evaluation research, which included qualitative and quantitative measures of student learning and progress, teacher learning and skills development, and program impact and effectiveness. Ultimately, the research documented how the implementation of a technology-based curriculum with an emphasis on broad professional development and teacher and student engagement influences: (1) school environment; (2) student learning, skills development, and educational affiliation; (3) teacher knowledge and approaches to teaching and classroom evaluation; and (4) school, family, and community dynamics, communication, and engagement.

23 Gonzalez, Moll & Amanti (Eds.). 2005. Funds of knowledge: Theorizing practices in households, communities, and classrooms. New York: Routledge.

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The project was rooted on the following characteristics: (1) Community-Based Approach Grounded in Ethnographic Research; (2) Funds of Knowledge as a Foundation to Culturally Relevant Pedagogy; (3) Capacity-Building and Sustainability: Recognition and Development of Expertise through Emergent Design Approach; (4) Innovation in and beyond Technology Integration; (5) Professional Development towards a Model of Teachers as Leaders and Researchers; (6) Action-Based, Rigorous Mixed Methods Evaluation; (7) Curricular Alignment and Integration; (8) Sequential Knowledge and Skills Development; (9) Holistic Approach to Organizational Capacity and Development; and (10) Data-Based Development of an Instructional Model (a thorough explanation of each characteristic is provided in Appendix 1).

Project Implementation

At the onset of Semillas Digitales, the first step was to gather baseline data through the sequential collection of specific data measures on student and teacher skills, knowledge, resources, challenges, and dispositions. Instruments such as questionnaires, interviews, surveys, observation templates, professional field notes and reflective writing were used to assess student learning, teaching styles and methods, student skills and knowledge, student and teacher attitudes and perceptions regarding education and future aspirations, and reactions and opinions on the Semillas Digitales project. Also, standing measures used by teachers (grades and attendance) were collected and collaboratively redeveloped with the teachers. As a result, a system and structure for recording student information was developed. After discussions and preparations with CISA CSR, farm staff, and teachers, the Semillas Digitales and the team from PennGSE (Ravitch and Tarditi) were formally introduced to the community at an event held at the school. The forum with the community served to foster participation and involvement from the community in the development of the project as well as ensure continual dialogue between partners (students, teachers, community members, CISA staff, PennGSE, and farm staff). Baseline data collection, establishing methods for monitoring and measuring student and teacher progress, and the focused creation of a community of dialogue and collaboration were paramount to the inception of the project as well as its potential for success.

After completing his master´s degree at PennGSE and working intensively with Ravitch on the development of the conceptual framework, theory of action and methodological approach of the Semillas Digitales project, Tarditi moved from Philadelphia to the Buenos Aires farm in July of 2009. Also in July of 2009, the American Chamber of

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Commerce of Nicaragua (AmCham) donated around 70 XO computers to CISA. The pieces were falling into place. Under the supervision of Dr. Ravitch, Tarditi started working with four teachers at the local school in Buenos Aires. His goal was not only to teach them how to use the different applications of the XOs, but also to show them how it could be used as a didactic tool that could enhance and even transform their approaches to teaching and their students’ learning outcomes.

As a part of the model of intensive professional development, Tarditi, the teachers, and CISA staff conducted regular community visits to students’ homes throughout this dispersed rural community. These were intended to engage parents and community members in the process, to strengthen the ties between home and school, and to sensitize the families and community members about the project and the importance of sending children to school. In other words, the purposes of the home visits were to achieve the following: (1) to continue to explain the Semillas Digitales project; (2) to create more possibilities of exchange and dialogue between the school and the community in relation to the project; (3) to establish and/or strengthen connections between the school and community more broadly; (4) to understand and learn about the local funds of knowledge and the realities of the students’ home lives; (5) to cultivate specific community members as leaders and liaisons between community and the school; and (6) to contextualize the project as part of the larger ethnographic study.

Following the intensive professional development sessions (mid-July to late-September 2010) the XOs were introduced to the students on September 21st, and the process of technology integration entered into its second phase. Tarditi and the four teachers lead classroom instruction on the XOs, starting with the basic, technical use (plus rules of use and basic care) and continuing into more complex functioning that began to incorporate the XOs into the MINED’s curriculum on a daily basis.

“Profe Mateo”, as Matthew came to be known by the locals, stayed in the community until July of 2010, when he returned to Philadelphia to begin his Ph.D. Program. After a year of living on the farm and facilitating the project, Ravitch and Tarditi began to implement a transition plan that further emphasized the capacity building process in which they had already been engaged for some time. For example, Matthew trained one of the teachers and a facilitator from CISA´s CSR department (Nayibe Montenegro) to take on his role. By December 2010, he continued working with Dr. Ravitch and CISA CSR personnel in order to develop metrics and a successful replication model for Semillas Digitales. Up to then, the project had directly benefited 48 students and 4 teachers from 3rd to 6th grade in the elementary school24 in Buenos Aires. CISA and PennGSE planned to replicate the project in the 1st and 2nd grades in Buenos Aires and in 3rd to 6th grades in the public elementary school of Abisinia, in the municipality of

24 Although 48 students received computers, the other students in 1st and 2nd grades (about 40 students) also had access to the XOs on a bi-weekly to monthly basis.

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Pantasma in Jinotega. In this school, Semillas Digitales would reach 250 students and 16 teachers. The plan was to eventually reach all 16 CISA-adopted schools. It is important to note that Semillas Digitales was conceptually different from One Laptop per Child (OLPC). While OLPC expected technology to essentially drive the learning process by itself, Semillas Digitales considered technology as only one part of a broader shift in the educational model. Additionally, a more holistic approach to teacher professional development, rigorous monitoring and evaluation, comprehensive support and facilitation, and a focus on community involvement were all central components of the project not emphasized in OLPC’s implementation. See Appendix 2 for a detailed description of the differences between the two projects.

Project goals and results

The primary goal of Semillas Digitales was to improve student learning, engagement, and retention by engaging educators, students, and community members in the development of sustainable educational innovation that included the co-construction of a cutting-edge, culturally sensitive and relevant, and contextualized approach to educational improvement that values local funds of knowledge25. Exhibit 14 details the project´s success indicators.

The first evaluation of the project was conducted by Ravitch and Tarditi in 2010. Preliminary findings were that student proficiency scores in technology closely matched academic performance and that student´s first semester grades improved in 2010 relative to the same scores in 2009.26 The qualitative evaluation concluded that the project helped to enrich the content and pedagogy in the classroom; to develop the abilities in teachers and students; to increase dedication from the teachers, students, community members and employees; to improve grades from the past year; to increase involvement from the families of students and community members; to empower teachers, students and community members; to increase attention to the importance of sensitivity to context as an essential philosophical orientation. Exhibit 16 provides a list of the main qualitative results. Quantitative results can be seen in Exhibit 17

Looking forward

In December of 2010, the CISA group faced several challenges. On the strategic front, the group needed to articulate an integrated CSR strategy in line with its overall corporate strategy. A second task was to validate the replication methodology for Semillas Digitales.

The validation task seemed daunting. Replicating Semillas Digitales in the 1st and 2nd grades in Buenos Aires and in the public school in Abisinia promised to consume a significant portion of CISA´s CSR department time. Also, the project had initially used a donation of XOs computers. Because the donation was made by a third party, CISA had 25 Gonzalez, Moll & Amanti (Eds.). 2005. Funds of knowledge: Theorizing practices in households, communities, and classrooms. New York: Routledge. 26 The results did not provide enough evidence regarding causation.

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no obligation to abide by OLPC´s regulations. Nevertheless, in order to replicate the project, more XOs would have to be procured directly from OLPC. Hence, CISA could be constrained by OLPC´s regulations. One alternative was to acquire Intel Classmate computers. This was a computer similar to the XO, but because Intel sold it for a profit, it did not carry many of the restrictive policies that XOs did. Another important challenge was the implementation of the curricular reform proposed by Semillas Digitales. The project intended to build on local funds of knowledge and to create a more contextualized curriculum in order to make education more culturally relevant to each host community. Nonetheless, the regulatory framework in the country was likely to hinder the implementation of this component. Another important consideration in public schools was that these were not under the direct jurisdiction of CISA (See Appendix 3 for an outline of the replication plan). One, perhaps more fundamental question, was how Semillas Digitales was linked to CISA`s overall sustainability strategy. One of the main challenges was to find a way to give some sense of continuity to the project as the students graduated from the Buenos Aires school and moved on to the local high schools that provided no follow-up for the students. Although a limited number of students (12) were being sponsored by CISA to continue their high school in the city of Jinotega, the vast majority of students graduating from Buenos Aires went to one of local high schools near La Virgen Número Uno.

Some of the questions that needed to be address included: Did it make sense to take Semillas Digitales to all the 16 schools sponsored by CISA? How did Semillas Digitales fit into CISA´s overall sustainability strategy? Should CISA expand its other initiatives in health and environmental protection? Should CISA concentrate only in some of these areas?

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Exhibit 1

Comparative Economic Indicators Nicaragua vs. other Central American Nations

Nicaragua Costa Rica

El Salvador Honduras Guatemala Panama

Most Recent

Year

GDP (constant 2000 US$ MM) 4,998.53

23,089.93

15,812.20 10,305.56 26,060.98

19,796.11 2009

GDP per capita (constant 2000 US$) 870.40

5,042.63

2,565.65 1,380.33 1,857.92

5,731.53 2009

Poverty headcount ratio at $1.25 a day (PPP) (% of population) 15.81 2.00 6.43 18.19 11.70 9.48

NI 2005, HN , GUA & PA 2006, CR & ES 2007

Poverty headcount ratio at $2 a day (PPP) (% of population) 31.86 4.25 13.22 29.73 24.27 17.85

Same as above

Exports of goods and services (BoP, current US$ MM) 2,857

12,566

4,696

6,028 8,843

16,343 2009

External debt stocks (% of GNI) 76

28

54

26

39

52 2009

Source: World Bank. (2011). World Development Indicators

15

Exhibit 2

Comparative Agricultural Indicators Nicaragua vs. other Central American Nations



Most Recent Year

Food exports (% of merchandise exports)

87

25

23

54

44

84 2009

Food imports (% of merchandise imports)

18

7

19

19

14

12 2009 Economically active population in agriculture (number) 362,000

325,000

600,000 672,000 1988,000

251,000 2008

Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) 29.1 13.2 18.9 39.2 33.2 14.7

HN 2005, NI, ES & GUA 2006, CR & PA 2007

Agricultural land (sq. Km) 52,000 27,500

15,560 31,280 44,640

22,300 2007

Agricultural land (% of land area) 43.3 53.9

75.1 28.0 41.7

30.0 2007

Agriculture, value added (% of GDP) 19.0 7.1

12.5 12.5 12.4

5.8 2009

Arable land (% of land area) 16.3 3.9

32.9 9.5 14.7

7.4 2007


16

Exhibit 3

Educational Indicators Nicaragua vs. other Central American Nations



Most Recent Year

Labor force with primary education (% of total) 58.6 56.7 42.0 N.A. 57.6 43.5

NIC 1995, ES 1996, GUA 2006, CR & PA 2007

Labor force with secondary education (% of total) 8.8 23.9 15.1 N.A. 12.4 30.0 Same as above Labor force with tertiary education (% of total) 6.0 16.8 23.8 N.A. 6.2 24.0 Same as above

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) 78.0 96.0 84.0 83.6 73.8 93.5

NIC 2005, HN 2007, CR, ES & GUA 2008

Literacy rate, youth total (% of people ages 15-24) 87.0 98.1 96.0 93.9 86.0 96.4

NIC 2005, HN 2007, CR, ES & GUA 2009

Children out of school, primary 52,952 41,790

38,077

30,968

78,222

4,560

All except CR, 2008; CR 1996


17

Exhibit 3 (Continued…)


Nicaragua El Salvador

Socioeconomic Level

Geography

Socioeconomic Level

Geography

Indicator Total Low High Urb. Rur. Total Low High Urb. Rur. % Age with the most schooling 10 10 10 8 10 10 10 10 10 % Maximum schooling rate 92 89 94 95 89 97 94 99 98 % of five year-olds in School 61 46 74 71 51 57 43 72 66 % of five year-olds at the initial level 57 43 73 66 48 56 42 72 65 % of ten year-olds at the primary level 92 89 97 95 89 97 94 99 98 % of 15 year-olds attending primary level 17 24 8 12 23 10 16 7 9 Age when the of population out of school is greater than that in school ** ** 11 12 ** 11 900 12 13 % of 11 year-olds out of school 7 11 7 5 10 6 9 3 4 % of 17 year-olds out of school 49 65 26 35 66 41 55 30 30 % of 17 year-olds out of school and that abandon school at the primary level 35 46 10 20 54 20 34 15 11 % of 17 year-olds that enter the secundary level 54 42 79 78 39 75 58 73 86 % of 20 year-ods that attend the secundary level 14 S/D S/D 15 12 11 17 7 12 % of 20 year-olds in school 27 S/D S/D 34 18 28 25 53 36 % of 20 to 22 year olds that completed secundary level 33 S/D S/D 44 15 40 32 74 46 % of 20 to 21 year olds that attend the superior level 15 S/D S/D 21 6 18 8 43 25 % of 30 to 33 year-olds that completed superior level 13 S/D S/D 17 4 13 4 37 16

Source: Sistema de Información de Tendencias Educativas en América Latina (SITEAL). 2010. Informe SITEAL 2010, "Metas educativas 2021: Desafíos y Oportunidades". TABLA 1.2.2 Indicadores seleccionados de trayectoria escolar, según nivel socioeconómico y área geográfica de residencia y país. Países del grupo 2 (circa 2008). According to the document the data years are: Nicaragua (2005), El Salvador (2008), Guatemala (2006), Honduras (2007), Costa Rica (2008). http://www.siteal.iipe-oei.org/informe_2010

18



Guatemala Honduras

Socioeconomic Level Geography


Indicator Total Low High Urb. Rur. Total Low High Urb. Rur. Age with the most schooling 9 10 8 11 9 9 9 9 9 9 Maximum schooling rate 93 96 97 96 93 95 93 100 97 94 % of five year-olds in School 36 58 93 51 25 47 38 83 57 40 % of five year-olds at the initial level 35 58 93 50 24 44 35 80 54 37 % of ten year-olds at the primary level 92 96 100 5 90 95 92 100 97 93 % of 15 year-olds attending primary level 15 13 2 11 17 11 15 3 8 13 Age when the of population out of school is greater than that in school ** 11 15 12 ** 9 ** 16 12 ** % of 11 year-olds out of school 7 6 0 4 10 7 9 0 4 8 % of 17 year-olds out of school 54 38 12 38 69 53 70 13 33 71 % of 17 year-olds out of school and that abandon school at the primary level 46 23 7 31 48 44 63 6 23 63 % of 17 year-olds that enter the secundary level 48 74 93 66 29 53 32 93 75 34 % of 20 year-ods that attend the secundary level 11 10 14 14 8 15 25 18 21 10 % of 20 year-olds in school 19 12 37 26 10 27 32 58 42 13 % of 20 to 22 year olds that completed secundary level 23 10 58 39 10 24 17 51 41 8 % of 20 to 21 year olds that attend the superior level 10 1 23 19 2 13 6 37 22 2 % of 30 to 33 year-olds that completed superior level 6 1 20 11 1 5 1 19 11 1

Source: Ibid

19



Costa Rica


Indicator Total Low High Urb. Rur. Age with the most schooling 7 8 7 7 8 Maximum schooling rate 99 99 99 100 99 % of five year-olds in School 73 58 88 78 67 % of five year-olds at the initial level 55 46 57 59 50 % of ten year-olds at the primary level 99 98 99 100 99 % of 15 year-olds attending primary level 2 6 2 2 2

Age when the of population out of school is greater than that in school 13 12 16 15 13 % of 11 year-olds out of school 0 1 0 0 0 % of 17 year-olds out of school 28 49 9 22 35

% of 17 year-olds out of school and that abandon school at the primary level 18 38 3 13 25 % of 17 year-olds that enter the secundary level 81 59 97 86 75 % of 20 year-ods that attend the secundary level 11 21 5 12 8 % of 20 year-olds in school 46 51 69 56 31 % of 20 to 22 year olds that completed secundary level 50 35 81 56 39 % of 20 to 21 year olds that attend the superior level 35 22 64 43 24 % of 30 to 33 year-olds that completed superior level 22 10 46 30 12

Source: Ibid

20

Exhibit 4

Technology Indicators Nicaragua vs. other Central American Nations



Most Recent Year

Fixed broadband Internet subscribers 36,058 107,410 123,469 123,469

79,000

195,785 2008

Fixed broadband Internet subscribers (per 100 people) 0.64

2.38

2.01

2.01

0.58

5.76 2008

Internet users 185,000

1460,000 650,000 958,000 1960,000

934,457 2009

Internet users (per 100 people) 3.26 32.31

10.60

13.09

14.32

27.49 2009

Investment in telecoms with private participation (current US$ MM) 156 N.A.

239

334

525

942 2008

Mobile cellular subscriptions 3108,002

1886,570 6950,703 4184,834 14948,640

3915,246 2008

Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) 54.84 41.75

113.32

58.33

109.22

115.19 2008

Secure Internet servers 36.00 450.00

73.00

53.00

123.00

296.00 2009

Secure Internet servers (per 1 million people) 6.27 98.28

11.84

7.10

8.77

85.70 2009

Telephone lines 312,000

1437,733 1077,179 825,769 1449,364

523,999 2008

Telephone lines (per 100 people) 5.51 31.81

17.56

11.28

10.59

15.42 2008

Source: World Development Indicators

21

Exhibit 5

Source: The authors with data from the International Coffee Organization

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 World 113 108 123 105 116 111 129 119 128 120 134

-‐

50

100

150

Million Ba

gs of 6

0 Kg

.

World Coffee Produc9on

22

Exhibit 6


2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Brazil (A/R) 31.31 31.37 48.48 28.82 39.27 32.94 42.51 36.07 45.99 39.47 48.10

Colombia (A) 10.40 11.96 11.74 11.23 11.57 12.56 12.54 12.50 8.66 8.50 9.00

CostaRica (A) 2.29 2.13 1.89 1.78 1.89 1.78 1.58 1.79 1.32 1.46 1.41

ElSalvador (A) 1.75 1.69 1.44 1.48 1.44 1.50 1.37 1.62 1.55 1.06 1.37

Guatemala (A/R) 4.94 3.67 4.07 3.61 3.70 3.68 3.95 4.10 3.79 3.50 4.00

Honduras (A) 2.67 3.04 2.50 2.97 2.58 3.20 3.46 3.84 3.45 3.53 3.85

Mexico (A) 4.81 4.44 4.35 4.20 3.87 4.22 4.20 4.15 4.65 4.20 4.50

Nicaragua (A) 1.60 1.12 1.20 1.55 1.13 1.72 1.30 1.70 1.62 1.69 1.80

Peru (A) 2.68 2.83 3.00 2.69 3.43 2.49 4.32 3.06 3.87 3.32 3.72

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

60.00

Million Ba

gs of 6

0 Kg

.

Main La9n American Coffee Producers

23

Exhibit 7


2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Brazil 18.02 23.17 27.98 25.71 26.48 26.19 27.35 28.18 29.50 30.34

Colombia 9.18 9.94 10.27 10.24 10.19 10.87 10.94 11.30 11.09 7.89

CostaRica 1.96 2.02 1.78 1.70 1.42 1.48 1.31 1.36 1.44 1.23

ElSalvador 2.54 1.53 1.53 1.30 1.33 1.28 1.29 1.21 1.44 1.31

Guatemala 4.85 4.11 3.49 3.82 3.31 3.47 3.31 3.73 3.78 3.49

Honduras 2.88 2.39 2.71 2.43 2.78 2.39 2.90 3.31 3.26 3.08

Mexico 5.30 3.33 2.64 2.60 2.36 1.98 2.57 2.91 2.45 2.84

Nicaragua 1.37 1.36 0.96 1.01 1.31 1.00 1.45 1.26 1.63 1.37

Peru 2.36 2.66 2.79 2.50 3.18 2.37 3.88 2.88 3.73 3.07

-‐

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

30.00

35.00

Million Ba

gs of 6

0 Kg

.

Main La9n American Coffee Exporters

24

Exhibit 8


2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 USA 18.75 19.55 19.12 20.19 20.97 21.00 20.67 21.03 21.65 21.43

Germany 8.77 9.06 8.50 9.50 10.44 8.66 9.15 8.63 9.53 8.90

Japan 6.63 6.94 6.87 6.77 7.12 7.13 7.27 7.28 7.06 6.82

Italy 5.15 5.24 5.18 5.51 5.47 5.55 5.59 5.82 5.89 5.84

France 5.40 5.25 5.53 5.39 4.93 4.79 5.28 5.63 5.15 5.56

Spain 2.99 2.80 2.83 2.74 2.71 3.01 3.02 3.20 3.49 3.35

United Kingdom 2.34 2.21 2.26 2.24 2.46 2.68 3.06 2.82 3.07 3.22

-‐

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

Million Ba

gs of 6

0 Kg

.

Main Coffee Consumers

25

Exhibit 9


2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Russia 1.89 3.01 3.49 3.66 3.19 3.33 3.46 4.32 4.06

Canada 3.32 3.38 3.20 2.98 3.51 3.59 3.81 3.90 3.81

Algeria 1.78 1.45 1.85 1.75 2.16 1.89 1.84 1.97 2.12

Korea 1.32 1.33 1.41 1.40 1.50 1.54 1.57 1.59 1.85

Ukraine 0.18 0.23 0.44 0.65 0.74 1.03 0.99 1.08 1.83

Australia 0.92 0.90 1.12 1.00 1.00 1.20 1.17 1.20 1.28

Malaysia 0.51 0.63 0.67 0.55 0.76 0.51 0.77 0.97 1.01

Singapore 0.94 1.05 1.12 0.99 1.39 1.26 1.01 0.88 0.77

Serbia 0.64 0.67 0.75 0.77 0.86 0.65 0.61 0.62 0.69

ArgenDna 0.63 0.64 0.53 0.63 0.59 0.60 0.58 0.65 0.58

SouthAfrica 0.41 0.34 0.37 0.40 0.44 0.48 0.57 0.46 0.57

Israel 0.36 0.43 0.39 0.43 0.46 0.47 0.51 0.57 0.56

SaudiArabia 0.41 0.39 0.45 0.47 0.57 0.60 0.64 0.76 0.55

Morocco 0.59 0.57 0.63 0.56 0.51 0.49 0.56 0.60 0.54

Sudan 0.13 0.18 0.22 0.12 0.39 0.40 0.36 0.50 0.53

Turkey 0.30 0.30 0.41 0.49 0.41 0.47 0.51 0.53 0.50

-‐ 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 4.50 5.00

Million Bags o

f 60 Kg

.

Main Coffee Importers

26

Exhibit 10


2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Austria 3.05 2.93 2.86 3.18 3.33 3.77 4.13 4.27 4.74 6.95

Belgium 3.22 3.00 3.05 3.60 3.87 4.10 4.32 4.91 5.46 5.26

Italy 4.44 4.33 4.57 5.47 6.01 6.13 6.29 7.02 7.87 7.68

Luxembourg 4.23 4.07 4.29 5.28 5.79 6.04 6.44 6.78 7.52 7.29

Spain 2.69 2.54 2.58 3.00 3.23 3.22 3.42 3.85 4.31 4.16

United Kingdom 5.41 5.57 5.44 6.11 6.77 6.94 7.11 8.04 7.83 7.27

Japan 12.92 8.60 8.13 8.19 8.75 8.22 8.16 8.09 8.32 6.05

USA 3.45 3.09 2.92 2.92 2.85 3.26 3.20 3.47 0.00 3.67

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

US$/Lb.

Coffee Retail Prices

27

Exhibit 11

Coffee Value Chain

Translated and adapted from: Cadena Agroindustrial del Café en Nicaragua. Retrieved from the website of Ministerio Agropecuario y Forestal (MAGFOR) Nicaragua on February 25, 2011. http://cedoc.magfor.gob.ni/documentos/cedoc/E21-0157.pdf

Producers (+29,000; +43,000 farms)

Beneficios (95 dry,

21,000 wet)

3 Local Toasters

National MKT

Exporters (38)

International Marketers

Foreign Toasters

Distributor

Consumer

National Segment Value Chain International Segment Value Chain

28

Exhibit 12

CISA Group Vision, Mission & Values

From grower to roaster, the best link

We serve our clients with transparency, reliability, strength, and excellence, buying, milling and exporting green coffee, based on the knowledge, integrity, and experience of our company and its employees

• Reliability

To be responsible, honest and fulfill our commitments • Dedication to service

Willing to cooperate with our clients and colleagues • Respect

Treat with dignity and value the diversity of opinions, cultures and customs • Excellence

To excel in what we do

We serve our clients with excellence, ensuring their satisfaction.

Source: CISA Exportadora. Mission, Vision, Values and Quality Policy. http://www.cisaexp.com/vision.htm

29

Exhibit 13

Member & Affiliated Firms to the Mercon Coffee Group

Café Soluble

Café Soluble is dedicated to these activities: Production and exportation of instant coffee, ground coffee and instant powder beverages. Distribution of company products as well as other national and international products of renowned prestige as MARS, SC Jonhson among others Manufacturing of private brands to distributors in Central America and the United States.

CISA Agro An importer and distributor of agricultural machinery, agrochemicals and seeds for service to all major crops.

GAINSA Upbringing of livestock with high genetic standards.

DIUSA DIUSA operates the largest movie theatre exhibitor chain in Nicaragua.

URBANISA URBANISA is a real estate development company, whose goal is to become the most successful provider of housing solutions for Nicaraguan families, measured by our ability to meet our clients' needs.

INTERSA Establishment of Coffee Estate for production of high quality sustainable coffee production.

Mercambios Company specializing in foreign currency exchange. In addition, we provides services of wire transfers worldwide to corporations.

Mercapital de Nicaragua

Financial services company, that provides financing of new vehicles, new homes, urban developments and business projects.

Source: Mercon Coffee Groupo. Members and Affiliated Companies. http://www.merconcoffeegroup.com/members.htm

30

Exhibit 14

Program Professional Development elements

The focus of professional development was comprised of the following elements:

1. Establishing personal and professional understanding and connections through dialogue and sharing of professional experiences in context

2. Discussions on education, teaching, and learning

2.1. Reasons for teaching

2.2. Approach to teaching and teaching philosophy

2.3. Tools and methods used in the classroom

3. Experience with and knowledge of technology

3.1. Computer and Internet use

3.2. Digital Literacy

4. Technology and Education

5. Technical Use and Basic Characteristics of the XO

6. Activities (Programs) of the XO and their applicability to education

7. Pedagogical Uses of the XO / Integration of XO into curriculum

7.1. Development of lessons plans using the XO

31

Exhibit 15

Program Success Indicators

I. Student Success Indicators

1. Improved Attendance

2. Increased Engagement

3. Increased Participation

4. Student Empowerment

5. Improved Communication and Collaboration

i. Within and Across Grade Levels

ii. Between Students and Parents

6. Improved Academic Performance (Correlated to XOs)

7. Development of Computer Literacy / Technology Skills

8. Development of Informational / Communication Skills

9. Development of Critical Thinking / Synthesis Skills

10. Development of Creativity

II. School Culture and Community Involvement

1. Improved Schoolwide Communication

i. Teacher Coordination of Projects and Lesson Plans

ii. Professional Development Sessions

iii. Network of Teachers (Within and Across Schools)

2. Increased Parental / Community Involvement and Participation

i. Class sessions and projects with students and families

3. Enriched and Strengthened Bond between School and Community

i. Home visits

32

ii. Forums with Parents

4. Community Empowerment and Capacity Building

III. Teacher Success Indicators

1. Increased Engagement

2. Technology Skills (Computer Skills Exam)

3. Pedagogical Uses of XO / Integration of XO in Curriculum

4. Enriched Teaching Styles and Strategies (Pedagogy)

5. Increased Professionalization and Empowerment

6. Improved Communication and Coordination

i. (Teacher to Teacher, Teacher to Student, Teacher to Parent)

7. Teachers as Researchers

8. Implementation of Manual (Feedback/Suggestions)

33

Exhibit 16

Semillas Digitales: Qualitative Results

I. Teachers:

1. Creation of Community of Learners

2. Increased Professionalization and Empowerment

3. Digital Literacy (Informational, Investigative, and Communication Skills)

a. Research content and pedagogical materials

b. Use of email, chat, and Skype

4. Enrichment of Classroom Content and Didactic Methods

a. Conduct Internet research to search for and find content-related information and pedagogical strategies/approaches

b. Formal and informal professional development sessions and conversations between PennGSE and CISA’s teacher supervisors have helped to foster dialogue around content and pedagogy that have lead to the improvement of the methods of instruction and communication/coordination among the teachers.

II. Students:

1. Student involvement and engagement

2. Camaraderie and Teamwork

3. Skills Development

a. Digital Literacy, Critical Thinking, Synthesis and Summary Skills)

34


Semillas Digitales: Qualitative Results

4. Student Empowerment

a. Creation of student monitors and teacher assistants

b. Ownership of computers and increased responsibility

c. Increased participation in and exposure to visitors and presentations regarding the project, their learning, their community, and education more broadly.

5. Future Aspirations / Sense of Possibilities

a. Increased range of possibilities for future careers shared by students

III. Community:

1. Community Involvement and Participation

a. Afternoon sessions with parents and children (students)

b. School events are attended by more parents (in absolute terms and there was also a substantial increase in male participation)

2. School-Community Relationship and Communication

a. Relationship between teachers and the community has strengthen through home visits and increased moments for communication (school events and computer sessions)

35

Exhibit 17

Semillas Digitales: Quantitative Results

This graph displays a statistically significant, positive relationship between technology test scores (November 2009) and students’ overall GPA. In other words, students with higher technology scores were also more likely to achieve higher grades

36

During the fall of 2009, the students were growing accustomed to using the computers and, as such, their gains in computer proficiency were highly correlated with their performance in their academic subjects that also introduced them to new skills and knowledge. Now, however, the laptops were no longer unfamiliar to students, and the computers do not present the students with the same opportunities to learn the types of new skills and knowledge that their classes continue to provide them. In other words, whereas the laptop instruction formerly acted as simply another class that presented new material to be studied, now the laptop program has simply become a baseline skill that student use in their other subjects.

37

Appendix 1

Key Characteristics of Semillas Digitales

This section explicates the 10 key characteristics of the Semillas Digitales model. 1. Community-Based Approach Grounded in Ethnographic Research An ethnographic research approach – which seeks to deeply understand, appreciate, and document local knowledge, culture, perspectives, and experiences in the community – serves as the foundation to the development and evaluation of this school and community-based initiative. The identification of and focus on human capital and funds of knowledge that exist in the community – parents, children, formal and informal community leaders as well as teaching and farm staff – enables a resource-oriented educational approach which is essential to maximizing the fit and sustainability of engagement and innovation. The systematic, ongoing collection and analysis of ethnographic data, which include comprehensive information on community needs, attitudes, structures, communication systems, and technology usage support the development of the pedagogical model and a distributed leadership model in the community, which facilitates educational innovation and creates more support for engaged student learning and retention. Focused outreach to and incorporation of informal community leaders into the life of the school and into the initiative help strengthen relationships between community, home, and school and serves to support the community to engage in and enhance their children’s school experiences. Involving community members more broadly in the students’ education through inclusion and participation in the project fosters the bond between school and community, more culturally relevant content and pedagogical approaches, support for student engagement, a value on staying in school, and improved community-school communication. 2. Funds of Knowledge as a Foundation to Culturally Relevant Pedagogy The Semillas Digitales model is built upon an in-depth, systematic, data-based exploration of the community and school members’ needs, realities, contexts, resources, and funds of knowledge. These data – culled from interviews, focus groups, home visits, surveys, reflective writing, classroom observations, learning and progress metrics, and multimedia modes of recording – form the contextual base for the development of the revised curriculum, the goals of the professional development component, and approaches to enhancing the school environment, directly informing what constitutes appropriate and relevant curricular and pedagogical approaches and professional development strategies. Locally collected data – including data collected by teachers within the school and in the community during home visits – shape the overall approach to working with teachers to develop the skills and areas of knowledge mastery required to implement an innovative, student-centered, data-based instructional model that resonates with the students in terms of content, approach, style, and knowledge and skills development. Further, these data help to link the project strategy to the needs, interests, learning styles, and cycles of the year thereby forming the contextual

38

understanding necessary to develop the curriculum in terms of culturally relevant content (e.g., agronomy, community values and skills, as well as agricultural cycles that affect the community). 3. Capacity-Building and Sustainability: Recognition and Development of Expertise through Emergent Design Approach The initiative and its attendant evaluation are based in the community and school. The school and community ethnographic data provide in-depth, ongoing information on what members of the community and the teachers know, do, want, and need in all of their variation and complexity over time. A “gold standard” in the academic and applied development worlds, an emergent design approach enables the ongoing recognition and incorporation of local talent, skills, knowledge, and concerns into the structure, strategy, and development of a sustainable educational initiative. Understanding the context and intricacies of the educational and broader community environment at all levels as they iterate over time is essential to the development of a capacity-building approach, one that works from an appreciation for and incorporation of local needs and strengths in relation to educational development and innovation. Therefore, central to the design of Semillas Digitales is the ongoing recognition and cultivation of expertise of the various stakeholders in-country through engaging them in multiple aspects of program development and implementation. The design of the professional development component, educational environment enhancement, and curricular reform aspects of Semillas Digitales are emergent in that they are co-constructed with stakeholders at multiple levels using a systematic and yet flexible approach. The initiative is customized for specific community contexts, it is developed by representatives from all stakeholder groups in a way that allows for a sustainable fit with rural, coffee farm community contexts as well as for an educational team working in a rural Nicaraguan context. Further, the project seeks out and systematically works to develop the knowledge and skills in the community, teachers, educational leadership, and in the CISA educational and farm staff since each of these groups serves as a bridge to the development of new, enriched content and approaches that resonate with local experience, culture, interest, and expertise. The systematic incorporation – in formative ways – of stakeholders’ perspectives and concerns is vital to the sustainability of the project; without it, there is not sufficient community and staff knowledge, input, critique, and engagement. 4. Innovation in and beyond Technology Integration The focus on educational innovation in and beyond technology integration is central to the Semillas Digitales model. In this approach, innovation encompasses the development and implementation of new approaches to assess and engage student learning, teacher professional development, teacher pedagogy, content enrichment, curricular alignment, and technology integration. The model relies on the systematic integration of computers as well as more critical, constructivist, student-centered approaches to pedagogy with the goal of developing, in teachers and students, advanced digital literacy, critical thinking skills, analytical and communication skills, content knowledge and understanding. An innovation orientation is central to the integration of meaningful, comprehensive professional development and to curriculum

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building; this model centralizes innovation in the professional development of teachers and in the alignment with the MINED curriculum. Innovation components include: (1) Technology-enriched teaching and learning; (2) Analysis of existing pedagogical approaches to determine revisions necessary to creating a more contemporary, contextually relevant, dynamic, student-centered, and effective approach to education; (3) Enhanced and modified curricula that are more contextually relevant and practical are implemented – and evaluated – since the existing curriculum is not cutting edge or regionally/contextually relevant. This model modifies the content of the curriculum to better accommodate and include the needs of the community (in terms of knowledge and references) as well as “best practices” in teaching and curricular design; (4) The development of information and communication skills – for teachers and students – through an emphasis on student-centered research, the inclusion of Internet-based communication (e.g., email, blog, Skype) and a focus on critically assessing digital content; (5) The development of enriched educational content and pedagogical approaches by the teachers related to ongoing Internet training and access (e.g., relevant and valuable information for various subject areas, in various media, found on the Internet is incorporated into the content presented by the teachers and is central to their professional development and pedagogical approach).

5. Professional Development towards a Model of Teachers as Leaders and Researchers Semillas Digitales is built on the design and enactment of an approach that works towards teacher ownership of project development and emergent curricular and pedagogical innovations. Teachers are viewed and engaged with as experts and their knowledge and understandings of the educational context (i.e., students, school, and community) is viewed as an essential component of the successful development and implementation of the initiative. In order to maximize the teachers’ skills and expertise, it is imperative to co-construct the conditions and supports that they identify as necessary for their professional development and the adoption of a pedagogical stance as educational leaders and teacher-researchers. It is vital to support teachers as they transition into the new role of teacher-researchers with the skills and capacity to evaluate the educational environment including their own approaches and effectiveness as well as their students’ experiences, learning processes, needs, and overall progress. Viewing and engaging with teachers – and their supervisors – from this approach is essential to the successful process, strategy, and ultimately, sustainability of the project. Semillas Digitales engages teachers in regular, systematic scaffolding and support in these areas through rigorous, co-constructed, ongoing professional development, continual and open communication between key stakeholders involved in the project, regular assistance from PennGSE, farm management and CISA facilitators, and consistent technical support from the Semillas Digitales technical expert. To create a sustainable, capacity-building model in which the teachers feel empowered, the project focuses on sequentially developing the teachers’ independence and leadership roles in the functioning and development of Semillas Digitales and in their classrooms and schools more broadly. A primary goal is to build a sustainable, replicable model of evidence-based professional development that extends beyond the current norm in the world of technology integration and within the education milieu of Nicaragua.

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6. Action-Based, Rigorous Mixed Methods Evaluation The ongoing assessment and evaluation of project development with respect to effectiveness based on specific success indicators for students, teachers, and supervisors is paramount. In order to measure the impact of the project on various aspects of education (e.g., student and teacher learning, skills development, and success) there is a focus on ongoing, systematic evaluation. Due to the intentional flexibility of an emergent design approach and the formative evaluation components of Semillas Digitales, improvements and adjustments are implemented on a real-time basis, which constitutes a true action research approach to educational innovation. Because of the need for in-depth, contextualized data as well as evaluation of student and teacher progress in quantifiable terms, the design of the assessment and evaluation employs a mixed methods approach, a strategic combination of both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The quantitative instruments focus on a wide range of data points with respect to the teachers, students, and community members: (1) Attitudes, behaviors, and perspectives with regard to education; (2) Participation and involvement; (3) Development of Skills and Knowledge (Digital Literacy, communication skills, investigative skills, content knowledge, etc.); (4) Empowerment; and (5) Communication and Coordination. In addition to these five groups of measures, there are other aspects of the ethnographic piece that use interviews and observation along with field notes to monitor, record, and reflect upon the overall effect of the project on the people and place. Quantitative measures include surveys, questionnaires, and numerical assessments to measure the impact of Semillas Digitales on the phenomena mentioned in the qualitative explanation as well as overall and specific understandings and knowledge acquisition. Correlations between grades, attendance, digital literacy, and skills development are constantly considered and analyzed in order to monitor the effects (comparatively and in isolation) of the computers, professional development, and other elements of the project. 7. Curricular Alignment and Integration Semillas Digitales seeks to facilitate the integration of technology into the existing Nicaraguan Ministry of Education (MINED) curriculum. During the lifespan of the project, technology will be adapted to the national curriculum established by the Ministry, resulting in a model that is aligned with national standards and appropriate for replication throughout the country. In order to fully integrate technology into the MINED curriculum, the development and critical review of daily lessons plans, objectives, and interdisciplinary projects are essential as these constitute the building blocks of an educational model enriched by technology. Through integration of existing and emergent curricular components, technology use, and computers more specifically, will become integrated into classroom functioning and will become a ubiquitous aspect of the school environment. A primary goal of the curricular alignment and integration is to seamlessly incorporate technology into the existing set of pedagogical approaches used by the teachers in order to improve the quality of education. 8. Sequential Knowledge and Skills Development It is essential to the success of Semillas Digitales that the overall approach to knowledge and skills development are co-constructed by teachers and students using a

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sequential approach in order to build upon and enrich understanding of previous content as more complex and advanced understandings emerge. Initially, the students’ and teachers’ learning focuses on the basic skills associated with technology use. As time progresses, the focus shifts to enriched content knowledge, more sophisticated academic skills, and advanced technology skills. Transitions from basic to intermediate to advanced knowledge and skills mastery – at the teacher and student levels – are mapped out and guidelines are provided to help ensure the iterative scaling up – and evaluation – of knowledge and skills over time. The generative interaction of knowledge (e.g., content and technology) and skills (e.g., informational, communication, critical-thinking, problem-solving, synthesis) development are taught, learned, and engaged with in a sequential manner as a means to improve the connections and foundations between past, present, and future knowledge and skills. It is through engaging in this step-by-step, iterative approach that teachers and students are best able to refine and deepen their existing knowledge and skills as they develop new knowledge and skills. 9. Holistic Approach to Organizational Capacity and Development At the center of Semillas Digitales is a focus on capacity-building at multiple, intersecting organizational levels. Considerable time is spent engaging in constructive, collaborative evaluation and assessment of the various stakeholders in this educational initiative as well as the organizational structures that contextualize and drive the initiative (i.e., the sponsoring company and its corporate social responsibility division and related staff, its partner companies that employ farm management, participating schools, the PennGSE team, and MINED). Assessments of the organizational structures at the macro (company and university) and micro (individuals and groups of supervisors, staff, teachers, and support staff) levels – as well as examining their areas of overlap and intersection – is essential to co-constructing with local players a critical and progressive understanding of organizational structures, strengths, and areas of need. Engaging in a collaborative, stakeholder-driven, critical examination of organizational structures, processes, accountability structures, and communication pathways leads to collective problem-solving and program development in ways that are informed by a sophisticated, data-based, holistic understanding of organizational systems and processes. A capacity-building orientation undergirds every stage of this process so that learning and organizational change become institutionalized and sustainable. 10. Data-Based Development of an Instructional Model: The CISA-Penn Manual As Semillas Digitales moves into its second year, PennGSE and CISA have developed and are now refining – with participating teachers and supervisors – a model for customized replication to be used as a primary framework for professional development and instruction in additional CISA schools. As a part of the development of the Semillas Digitales model, the CISA-Penn Manual will be piloted in one additional school during the 2011-2012 academic year with the oversight and mentoring of a team of CISA trainers and supervisors who specialize in teacher professional development and technology-based pedagogy (with direct supervision by PennGSE). This manual will support new teachers and school leadership as they engage in the development of Semillas Digitales in replication schools and will serve to refine the model as issues,

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concerns, and challenges emerge and generate improvement strategies and curricular refinement. This process involves all aspects of pedagogical and curricular innovation as well as the structured process of collecting data on: (1) Student learning, progress, and skills development (e.g., Information and communication skills, content knowledge, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, summary and synthesis skills); (2) Teaching strategies and learning (e.g., Student-centered pedagogy and student empowerment, group-work and project-based learning); (3) Technology integration (e.g., Effectiveness of guides for students and teachers, sample lesson plans and activities, and interdisciplinary projects using technology); (4) Basic educational data (e.g., Grades, attendance rates, retention rates, continuation to high school and university); (5) Educational and professional goals (e.g., Students’ concepts of educational and career goals and trajectories); and (6) Accountability structures (e.g., Roles and responsibilities to maintain communication and coordination). The goal of the manual is that it is simultaneously guiding and grounding as well as flexible to local context and needs.

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Appendix 2

Differences between Semillas Digitales and OLPC

This section highlights differences between OLPC and the CISA-PennGSE Model. More specifically, the CISA-PennGSE Model provides the following advantages over the other model:

1. Significant ONGOING intensive professional development for teachers and teacher supervisors.

2. The technology integration is part of conceptual model/approach (i.e., community based, ethnographic, leadership development, based on needs assessment, resource orientation

3. The initiative is community-based, careful attention to and integration of community expertise, resources, perspectives, needs and skills.

4. The project cultivates teachers as researchers and leaders (promotes reflection, critical stance, ongoing assessment, action research, applied research, heighten observational and diagnostic skills and tools, empowerment, involvement in design and direction of project both at a micro and macro level)

5. The project views technology beyond computers.

6. OLPC does: online networks of programs and participants (share experiences, knowledge, content, activities, stories, etc.) – requires Internet access to participate, Internet as fundamental element of OLPC model (necessary model).

The CISA-PennGSE model is not Internet dependent. The Internet is used to enrich model (communication and extra content), but our model is not dependent on the Internet for successful implementation because we rely more on person-to-person contact through professional development, school visits, on-site activities and discussions as well as past experiences and content gathered plus pedagogical approaches to incorporating the computers into the curriculum. Facilitators assist teachers in the uses of the computers plus access to content - books, materials, researched information, organization of school information (grades, attendance, etc.) - that can be archived and organized on school servers (not dependent on Internet connection for server to function). Given challenges with the Internet is rural areas, this is important.

7. OLPC stresses student-centered learning and local participation in the development content that uses the XO; however, there is not a centralized oversight to assist in the adaptation of the XO to the curriculum because it is left up to the local actors alone to find ways to make the XO fit into the national curriculum.

The CISA-PennGSE model focuses on the true, ongoing integration of technology into the curriculum and creates a structure of support and guidance to significantly scaffold and support

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teachers and provide assistance in the integration of computers into the curriculum through culturally relevant approaches to teaching and learning and local context-driven content. This support is offered through school visits, regular communication, and ongoing intensive professional development and strategic planning sessions that work to co-construct the adaptation and integration of technology broadly defined and computers into the national curriculum. (see pages 5-11 above)

8. The CISA-PennGSE model focuses on organizational development towards sustainability/capacity building while OLPC stresses locally driven projects with minimal support from OLPC staff, thus lacking the ongoing support, scaffolding, assistance, assessment, and communication that will help work with the local communities (teachers, students, family members, organizations) to co-develop a structured approach to sustainability and capacity building through a development of skills, capacities, and support systems along the way and continuously thereafter.

9. OLPC relies exclusively on the XO’s, which have many issues. The CISA-PennGSE model does not overly focus on the XO’s so we are not limited to the XO as the sole computer for our model to be implemented, there can be a versatility in technology.

10. The CISA-PennGSE model has produced a comprehensive manual for teacher professional development that focuses on strategies, pedagogy, didactic approaches, constructivist learning, leveraging funds of knowledge in the community, creating and improving upon communication structures within and across schools and practitioners, plus a strong focus on evaluation and impact measures both qualitative and quantitative (evaluation decentralized in OLPC). OLPC manuals are Internet-based, thus inherently limiting access to their content to those that have connectivity. Therefore, there is a scarcity of written, publish documents (curricular materials, manuals, lesson plans, etc.) provided by OLPC and offered to the schools in which their programs operate.

11. In the CISA-PennGSE approach, students not mandated to bring computers home (decided on a school-by-school basis, OLPC mandates this but we feel there are safety issues of theft and violence related to children taking the computers home). OLPC has mandated policies and protocol for use of XO’s (mandate taking them home) but there is a lack of personal and regular direct contact between OLPC and the schools it serves.

12. OLPC staff is comprised of quickly trained volunteers who are not required to have educational backgrounds, thus diluting the “quality” of the OLPC workers in various contexts. Lack of support is common for volunteers working en situ. The CISA-PennGSE model works in ongoing ways with teachers and teacher supervisors as well as those offering technological support.

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Appendix 3

Replication Plan for Semillas Digitales

The essential elements of the replication process and plan for Abisinia were the following:

1. Presentation of Semillas Digitales to participants and partner organizations (i.e., MINED, teachers, students, community members, CISA, etc.)

2. Communication and collaboration with the MINED at the local, regional, and national levels

3. Negotiation and conversation with participants to determine the specific characteristics, content, and chronology of the project and professional development sessions to foster co-construction and contextualization of plan in order to address the specificity of the school and community.

4. Baseline (and ongoing) data collection based on general objectives and success indicators in order to measure the progress and impact of the project.

5. Implementation of professional development plan with teachers and administrators. The stages of professional development are: (1) Intensive; (2) Ongoing; and (3) Integrated. The frequency of sessions, their length, and the content will depend on an agreement reached with the teachers, administrators, and MINED through the negotiation process mentioned above. The CISA-PennGSE Manual will be used as a pivotal guide for the implementation of the professional development along with the project as a whole.

6. Introduction of the computers to the students and community members. Each student from 3rd to 6th grade will be assigned a computer for the entire school year. The students will be responsible for the computer throughout the school year. Upon receipt of the computers teachers will provide instruction on basic care, rules for use, and introductory characteristics and use of the computers.

7. In a sequential, scaling up approach, the students will learn the uses and applications of the computers to their classroom content with the guidance of the teachers, eventually resulting in the computer being viewed and used as another educational tool similar to the notebook, chalkboard, textbook, etc.

8. The community members (families of the students) will be invited to participate in afternoon sessions with the students on a variety of uses and applications with respect to computers and technology. These joint sessions will serve to strengthen bonds and channels of communication between the school and the community in an attempt to include students’ families in the project and in the overall conversation around education. Including local funds of

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knowledge and offering a more culturally relevant curriculum are two of the main goals of this endeavor.

9. Throughout the process, the Semillas Digitales team (CISA, PennGSE, school and community members) will be in regular communication and discussion in order to continuously monitor and modify the progress, direction, and impact of the project. Guided by a co-construction and collaborative orientation, regular communication is essential to creating and maintaining a true community of learners. The PennGSE team will conduct frequent (bi-monthly or more) visits to the region to assist in the development of capacity among the local members of the team as well as monitor the data collection and analysis processes in addition to the aforementioned responsibilities of monitoring progress and implementation.

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